In this observation, pay attention to how your teacher manages his or her classroom. What types of disruptions, if any, occur while you're visiting? How do they set the class in motion? How do they deal with interruptions (from the outside) and disruptions (from their students)? Determine whether there are students in the classes that you will teach that are especially troublesome. Ask your CT how he or she addresses these students' needs. Reflect on your "vision" of an ideal science classroom. What classroom policies will you try to implement in YOUR classroom? How does your vision align with your teaching philosophy?
Observation:
At Chariho High school, I observe a tenth grade biology class. In normal class settings, the students are often chatty and off task. However, when my cooperating teacher asks them to be quite, they usually abide. During my observation, there were a few disruptions. The first was a hall room monitor that brought copies to my teacher. When my cooperating teacher excused herself, the students immediately took the time to talk with their peers. The second disruption was the principal. He wanted to talk with all of the students about their new dance policy, "face to face, give some space", and the previous NECAP testing session. During this interruption, the students were immediately quite, and only spoke when the principal called on them to speak. From my observations, I have seen my cooperating teacher respond to several students that were especially troublesome. My teacher usually just repeatedly asks the student to change their behavior, and occasionally requests that they move.
Reflections:
Based on my observations of my cooperating teacher's response to the especially troublesome students, it seems that her methods disrupt the class more than fix the problem. I feel that classroom management would help this problem. I do not see my cooperating teacher utilizing planned out lessons, or going through the motions of an effective opening and closing to class. I feel that with a clearly planned out lesson and communication with my students, behavior problems would be less of a disruption. I feel that the majority of troublesome students are just bored and unengaged. With a carefully planned lesson sequence, students can be actively engaged and participatory in the lesson. Students need to see that the teacher knows what they are doing and where the lesson is going. I think that students know how much effort their teacher puts into the lesson, and responds with a similar amount of effort to participate. In my vision, students should be able to be engaged in a lesson, even if the topic isn't particularly interesting to them. I also think that students should be able to learn science even if it isn't their best subject. With this type of science class, I feel that troublesome students would be less troublesome. I also feel that some behaviors should be ignored to an extent. I feel that by repeatedly addressing this troublesome student, my cooperating teacher takes away learning opportunities from all of the other students.
Observation:
At Chariho High school, I observe a tenth grade biology class. In normal class settings, the students are often chatty and off task. However, when my cooperating teacher asks them to be quite, they usually abide. During my observation, there were a few disruptions. The first was a hall room monitor that brought copies to my teacher. When my cooperating teacher excused herself, the students immediately took the time to talk with their peers. The second disruption was the principal. He wanted to talk with all of the students about their new dance policy, "face to face, give some space", and the previous NECAP testing session. During this interruption, the students were immediately quite, and only spoke when the principal called on them to speak. From my observations, I have seen my cooperating teacher respond to several students that were especially troublesome. My teacher usually just repeatedly asks the student to change their behavior, and occasionally requests that they move.
Reflections:
Based on my observations of my cooperating teacher's response to the especially troublesome students, it seems that her methods disrupt the class more than fix the problem. I feel that classroom management would help this problem. I do not see my cooperating teacher utilizing planned out lessons, or going through the motions of an effective opening and closing to class. I feel that with a clearly planned out lesson and communication with my students, behavior problems would be less of a disruption. I feel that the majority of troublesome students are just bored and unengaged. With a carefully planned lesson sequence, students can be actively engaged and participatory in the lesson. Students need to see that the teacher knows what they are doing and where the lesson is going. I think that students know how much effort their teacher puts into the lesson, and responds with a similar amount of effort to participate. In my vision, students should be able to be engaged in a lesson, even if the topic isn't particularly interesting to them. I also think that students should be able to learn science even if it isn't their best subject. With this type of science class, I feel that troublesome students would be less troublesome. I also feel that some behaviors should be ignored to an extent. I feel that by repeatedly addressing this troublesome student, my cooperating teacher takes away learning opportunities from all of the other students.